Concrete mold



May 22,1923. 1,456,345

J. A. TAGGART CONCRETE MOLD Filed 001:. 2D. 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q. N.- o I'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII WITNESS: IN\V7ENTOR. 7 a. i

lay 54 2h w dkwd mromwsvs I May 22,1923. 1,456,345 J. A. TAGGART CONCRETE MOLD Filed Oct. 20. 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W l TNESS: I I N VENI OR.

May 22, 1923.

J.A.TAGGART CONCRETE MOLD Filed Oct. 20. 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W7TNES$ May 22, 1923.

J. A. TAGGART coucnz'm MOLD Filed 001:. 20 1919 4 Sheets Shee t 4 INVENTOR.

you m TTORNEYS I Patented May 22, 1923.

l E S JOHN A. 'rneean'r, or WILMETTE, ILLINoIs.

CONCRETE Mom).

Application filed October 20, 1919. Serial No. 331,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. TAGGART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmette, in the county of Cool; and State of Illinois, have invented-new and useful Improvements in Concrete Molds, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the construction and form of an improved type of concrete mold, and more particularly to the molds, forms or falsework used in the construction of concrete buildings.

The invention consists essentially in the production of an improved form of mold which can be readily taken apart after the concrete has flowed into place and set. This is accomplished by dividing the mold transversely into a plurality of longitudinal sections, preferably three,'which can be readily assembled and disassembled without injury to the sections. The various sections of the mold are held in place end to end longitudinally by means of a tension or stress member', preferably a cable, which is secured to the two end molds and which functions to take up the stresses resulting from the weight of the concrete, said stresses being transmitted through said tension member to the end sections, where they are utilized for the beneficial purpose of forcing the various sections of the mold together. The stresses transmitted to the tension member by the floor are utilized, therefore, for the useful purpose of holding the various sections of the mold together.

The mold, as hereinbefore stated, is preferably made of three parts or sections, the two end sections being standard sections, and the middle section being one which can be readily spliced, so as to adapt the mold to floors of various spacings between the girders.

In constructing a building of this kind, the column molds are first put in place around the steel reenforcement for the column, after which the floor molds are laid for the girders and for the joists, the molds for the joists and floor being made in sections, as hereinbefore described. The ends of the molds for the joists rest on the column molds and on the girder molds, the girder molds being held up by T shores.

When a floor of this kind is poured in which the floor proper consists of about two inches of concrete, temperature reenforce ments in the nature of steel rods are placed in the floor and suitable steel reenforcements are inserted int-he joist and girders; Ordinarily, it' takes a concrete floor of this kind from ten days to two weeks to set and harden completely. In the old practice it was customary to support the joists, as well as girders, by means of T shores from the floor below. The T shores for the jOl'StSI'lIi a construction following the teachings of this invention are entirely eliminated,- these being replaced by tension and compression members, preferably cables and wood struts. Consequently, immediately after a. floor is poured and the cement has taken its initial set, which is a matter of merely a day or so, the combined joist and fioor forms can be removed and used for the next floor, asthe trussed members of the form transmit the load to the girder form and do not addany load to the floor below, which at that: time has not developed its full strength. The T shores used for supporting the girders are maintained in position for the time ordinarily required to give the concrete, constituting the girders and columns, ample time to set and to harden to withstand the entire load of the same, possibly ten days to two weeks-f The shoring used for the girders in this improved typeo-f construction acts as a support for the various floors that are under construction, and supports, in addition to the girders, the entire dead -weight of thefloors, this weight being'transmitted to the girder shores'by means of the tension members and struts.

In the prior construction, the molds for the joists were supported by shores t-h'ersame as the girders. These shores and the associated molds had to be retained in position until the floor was completely set and hardened because each floor had tocarr'y the dead weight of the floor above, since the shores used to support the floor above rested on the floor directly below. The molds in the old construction were, therefore, tied up with each floor for a. period of approxi mately two weeks; whereas, in the improved type of construction, hereinafter specifically described, the molds are released for new work as soon as the concretehas obtained its initial set and becomes hard enough to' sustain its own weight, which ordinarily is a matter of merely oned'ay.

Likewise, since the molds, according toand constantly increasing cost of lumber,

resides in the construction of the molds or falsework, which is ordinarily made of lumber. The saving effected in the time that these molds must be associated with each freshly poured floor and the decrease in the breakage and wear and tear, therefore,'means a very substantial and effective reduction in the cost of this type of construction.

One of the objects of this invention consists, therefore, in the construction of a transverse longitudinally sectioned mold for the floor and joists which can be readily taken down after the joists and floor have been poured without the use of excessive force, and the mold sections retained intact and used over and over again.

Another object comprises the production of a longitudinally sectioned mold having a variable section and standardized sections whereby the assembled mold is adjustable and can be used for flooring with girders that are positioned at different centers.

A further object consists in the construction of molds whereby they permit the construction of one floor above another that has just been laid practically immediately after the floor below has been poured and long before said pored floor is thoroughly set and hardened.

Other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description, from the accompanying illustrations, and from the appended claims.

In the illustrations which show an embodiment of this invention and some variations thereof Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a building showing three fioors, the lower one of which is completed, and the twoupper floors of which are in the process of setting and hardening;

Fig. 2 is a View in perspective of a section of the assembled floor molds or falsework, and illustrates the manner in which the molds are divided longitudinally so that they can be readily assembled and disassembled without any subsequent breakage or wear and tear;

Fig. 3 is a section through one of the molds taken on the plane represented by the line 33 of Fig. 1;

to the joists after. the molds for joists,

girders and columns have been removed;

lug. 5 1s a section through the girder and the joists taken on the plane represented by; i

the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of an assembled mold consisting of three transverse longitudinal sections equipped with a modified form of tension or stress member;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the plane represented by the line 77 of the Fig. 6, and illustrates the guiding cleat used to align adjacent mold sections; and

*ig. 8 is a section through one of the molds of the modified form illustrated in Fig. 6 taken on a plane representedby the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the girder forms 10 are supported on the column forms 11 constructed in the usual way well known to those skilled in the art. The girder forms 10 consist of the bottom slab member or soflit 12 and the two co--- operating right angle side members 13 and 14. Secured to each of the side members 13 and is. are the slab members 15 and 16 respectively, which are supported by means of transverse beams 17 and 18 on T shores such as 19 which rest on a plank 20 positioned on the girder 21 of the floor just below. The slab member 12 is also supported by these T shores 19. The complete girder form comprises, in addition to the members hereinbefore mentioned, the side members 22 which constitute the end slabs of the joist and floor molds of which more will be said hereinafter.

The general construction of the girder form and the column form and the T shores used for supporting the girder form will be preferably evident to those skilled in the art, and consequently further description thereof herein is considered unnecessary.

The forms which are used for the construction of the floor and the joists are illustrated in their assembled position as shown at 25 in Figs. 1 and 2. These forms 25 comprise three transverse longitudinal sections, the middle section 26 and the end sections 27 and 28 respectively. Each of these sections 26, 27, and 28 comprise a top member or slab form member 29, to each of which are secured the downwardly extending members 30 and 31 which have secured thereto at right angles the member 32 known in the art as a soflit. ber 30, together with the soffit of each form constitutes one-half of the joist form, and when two molds are aligned in position, as shown in Fig. 2, the soifit 32 and the side members 30 cooperate to make the joist form.

Secured to the end of each mold section 27 The memand 28 are the end plates 22 (see Figs. 1 and 2) which, as hereinbefore described, constitute the side members of the girder form.

The opposite end of each mold sections 27 and 28 is provided with a tapered edge such as 33, whereby the slab member 29 is somewhat longer than the sofiit member 32,. and the edge 33 tapers down from the slab member to the sottit member. The middle mold section 25 has its ends provided with an inverse taper to provide for the end sections 27 and 28, whereby the sofiit member 32 is longer than the slab memb'er29, and whereby the ends of the middle section will be tapered as shown at 33, so that the middle section 25 can be readily placed in position between the two end sections 2'? and 28 and a complete continuous mold 25 extending between girders can be constructed.

Each of the end sections 27 and 28 is iitted with one or more cleats such as 34 utilized to strengthen the form and give it additional rigidity, which expedient is well known to those skilled in the art. The end forms 27 and 28 are equipped at the outer end with an angle iron 35 extending transversely of the mold, said angle iron being fitted with one or more perforations such as 36, (see Fig. 2), adapted to receive the hooks such as 37 secured to the end of a cable such as 38.

vEach cable 38 is fitted at its other end with a loop such as 39 adapted to receive a threaded hook such as 40 which is equipped to receive the threaded turn buckle 41 utilized to secure two ends of the cable together and tension the same. The cable 40, together with the turn buckle 41 and the truss member hereinafter to be described, as utilized in this construction and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is known in the art as a belly-rod-truss. These truss members are utilized to support the weight of the floor and joists.

In placing the falsework or molds for a concrete floor in position, utilizing the supporting means and the longitudinally transverse sectional molds of this inventiombeams such as 43 extending transversely to the length of the built up mold are first placed in position the beams 43 being supported by suitable temporary shores which rest on the floor below. These beams 43 are equipped with a plurality of truss members 44, one for each mold. Two of such beams 43 are used between each pair of girders, the beams 43 being so positioned that the center line thereof will rest substantially directly beneath the unionv at the tapered edge 33 of the end sections 27 and 28 and'the middle sec tion 25. When the beams 43 have been thus positioned, the middle sections 26 are next placed in position on the supporting beams 43, these middle sections being placed side by side for the entire length of the floor,

for the floor and joist between girders. Af-' ter the forms have thus been placed in position, the cables 38 secured to the angle irons 35 at the outer end of each end sections 27- and 28 have the inner ends thereof brought together over the struts or truss members 44 and are interconnected by-the turn buckle 41, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The turn buckle 41 is then turned up on the threaded ends of the hooks 40 so as to securely tension the cables 38.

When the cables have been thus tightened,

the temporary shores used to support the beams 43' can be removed since the cables 38 in. cooperation with the struts 44 will function to support the talsework comprising the various sectional built up molds 25 consisting of the sections 26, 27, and 28. The truss members 44, together with the cooperating cable 38, constitute, as hereinbefore' stated, a belly-rod-truss, which functions to support the weight of the forms,,as well as the concrete poured in the forms, the stresses resulting from said weight being transmitted as a tension through said cables 38 to the angle-iron 35 and there this tension is utilizedfor the useful purposev of forcing end sections 27 and 28 into close contact with the middle section 26. This action obviously results in getting a tight joint at theltapereu end 33- of the end and middle sections.

When the falsework for the floor has been thus constructed, it will be obvious that the entire weight thereof is supported by the girder molds and the column molds, the

weight oi": the joist and floor mold being transmitted to said girder and column girders by means of the b'elly-rod-t-russ. When the falsework has thus been set up for the complete floor, concrete is poured for the floor 48, the girders 49, the columns 50, and the joists 51. The weight of the concrete poured in the molds will be supported entirely by the column and girder molds and T shores under the girder molds and by the truss members of the joistand floor forms which serves to support the falsework into which the concrete is poured. I

Itwill'now be evident that the concrete is poured into the molds for the concrete floor and joists without any supporting means for the forms or for the floor or joists extending from and resting upon the floor directly below. In the constructions hereinbefore used, the weight of the floor and joists was supported by shores resting on the floor directly below but in a construction utilizing the teachings of this invention, these shores are entirely eliminated, being replaced by the trussed members of the form as hereinbefore described. Obviously,- the forms or molds could be supported in other ways and by other means than those herein specifically described, in which other means could be used for transmitting the weight of the floor and joists to the girder and column forms.

Because of the elimination of the supporting means, which rest on the floor beneath, for supporting the floor above which is about to be constructed, it is possible with this new form of construction, as hereinbefore described, to proceed with the construction of the floor above immediately after the floor below has received its initial set and before it has completely hardened and obtained its full strength. Likewise, when the floor under construction has received its initial set and is strong enough to support its own weight, which ordinarily is merely a matter of a day, the cables 38 can be swung down out of the supporting position by loosening the turn buckle 41, which will permit the removal of the beams as and the struts 44 secured thereto. These strut members 44: can obviously be made a part of the beam 43 or can be detachably secured therto. When the struts 4A; and beams 43 are removed, it will be evident from Figs. 1 and 2, that because of the tapered end and side construction of the middle and end sections of the built up mold 25, that the center section 26 thereof can be readily pulled down out of place without in any way injuring the mold form. After the center sections 26 are displaced from their position around the joist and floor form, it will likewise be evident that the end sections 27 and 28 can be slightly displaced longitudinally toward the center of the floor so as to clear the slab plates 15 and 16 of the girder forms, or revolved around it, after which these end sections can also be readily dropped from their position around the concrete without the use of any material force and consequently without in any manner injuring these end sections. The soflits of the girders and the T shores supporting these soffits obviously remain in place until the concrete is completely hardened, usually a matter of from two to three weeks.

It will, therefore, be evident with the construction of molds and falsework in accordance with the teachings of this invention, because of the transverse longitudinal sections utilized, that the resulting molds can be readily placed in position, the floor poured and then the mold disassembled for further use without inany way injuring the form or mold sections.

In Fig. t is illustrated the appearance of the floor, columns, joists, and girders after the molds or falsework used in constructing them have been removed.

Fig. 5 shows a cross section through the girder and illustrates at 54 the method of increasin the cross sections of the joists 51 in order to provide for the additional shear to which the joists are subjected where they join onto thegirder 49, which can be readily accomplished by thus forming the mold, as well known to those skilled in the art.

It will also be obvious that in the method of construction herein outlined, molds canreadily be utilized in which merely a flat slab construction is desired; that is, in which the floor is constructed without the joists, the construction herein shown being merely illustrative, the joist floor construction being illustrated since it results in the more solid and substantial construction.

For the purpose of protecting the tapered or slanting end of the two end sections 27 and 28 of each built up mold and the'ends of the center section 26 of the built up m'old, these tapered or slanting ends along the edge 33 are preferably provided with a metallic flushing such as 55 which will be described more fully hereinafter in connection with the modified construction.

Likewise, to facilitate the alignment and positioning of the end sections 27 and 28, with respect to the middle section 26, each middle section is provided with a positioning or aligning cleat such as 56 which is secured to either end of each middle section and which will be more fully hereinafter described in connection with the modified embodiment illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8.

The modified construction illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 comprises a middle mold section 26 and the end mold sections 27 and 28 substantially similar to the said sections illustrated in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. In the built up section illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8, however, each end section has in- "tegral therewith a wooden tension member 57 which is secured to each section by means of a strut such as 58 fastened to the underside of the floor slab 29, and also secured to the end section 22 of the mold. a The wooden tension member 57 is fitted at its forward end with a hook such as 59' adapted to receive the cable such as 60, which cooperate with the turn buckle 61 and the threaded hooks such as 62 to place said cables in tension. This construction operates in substantially the same manner as the bellyrod-truss described in connection with the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to support the falsework in this modified construction, the middle section 26 illustrated in cross section in Fig. 8 has secured to its side members 63 and 64 the cleats 65 and 66 respectively which serve to hold in position a cleat 66 secured to the underside of the floor slab form or member 29. Secured to the cleat 66 is the strut member 67 which, together with the cable 60, serves to support the middle portion of the falsework or molds, together with the flooring and joists in a manner identical to that hereinbefore described, and with the same results as does the belly-rod-truss described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description of said modified form, it will now be evident that the middle section 26 has integral therewith the strut 68, and that the end sections 27 and 28 carry an integral tension member 57. In putting up the falsework for a floor of the type of-construction illustrated in the modified form, the middle sections are'supported on a temporary scafi'olding of any desired type which is removed after-the cables 60 have. been finally positioned andiplaced in tension.

Fig. 6 illustrates the method in which the length of the forms may be altered so that they can be readily utilized for constructions in which the girders are placed at centers of varying dimensions. To meet this contingency it is preferred to splice the middle section'26 by inserting therein a splicing piece such as 69 which is preferably fitted in the middle of said section and secured thereto in any desired manner, preferably by cleats.

Fig. 6 clearly illustrates the manner in which the metallic flushing is secured to the ends of the section, which metallic flushing comprises the right angular pieces 70 secured to the floor slab 29 of the end sections 27 and 28 and the strips 55 secured to the side members 63 and 64: of the modified construction and 30 and 31 of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Attention is now directed to Fig. 7 which illustrates clearly the method in which the guiding cleat 56 is secured to the floor slab 29 and the method in which said cleat serves to align the end sections with the middle section. Said cleat also serves to positively close any slight crevice which might exist at the union of the end and middle sections through which concrete or cement might be forced when'the floor proper is being poured.

It will now be'apparent from the foregoing description that the built up mold comprising the transverse longitudinal sections 26, 27, and 28 is constructed so that these sections can be readily assembled to form a complete mold and can be readily disassembled after the sections have served their useful purpose in providing forms for the pouring of the concrete. Each of these sections obviously constitutes an entity, complete in it self, which can be easily handled becauseof its comparative" lightness and shortness in length, which items are of material importance in placing molds of this character in position and which obviously result in a considerable economybecause of the reduction in the cost of labor required "for assembling and disassembling the molds.

. Likewise, because of the ease with which the molds can be handled and placed in position, the wear and tear to which they would be subjected will be comparatively slight, and consequently the life of the molds will be considerably prolonged. Further, because of the sectional characteristics ofthis-type of mold, the cost of this construction will be materially reduced since there is very little, if any, special construction required for the standard floors used in different buildings and consequently very little loss due to himber which cannotbe reused'in the construction of the falsework. The construction hereinbefore described, therefore, resultsin marked economies in time, as well as in money.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment thereof herein illus trated and described, but is capable of many variations and other modifications within the spirit and scope thereof set forth in the fol lowing claims: j V s Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I v v 1. In a 'device of the character described, a mold for concrete construction consisting of a plurality of transverse longitudinal sectionsand a tension member directly interconnecting the ends of said built-up sections, the transverse longitudinal sectionsand tension. member constituting a truss, said sections serving as astrut member of thetruss.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination, a mold for concrete construction comprising two standardized end sections and an intermediate adjustable middle section one end of which abuts against one end of each of said end sections and a truss member attached to the; ends of said end sections whereby said mold serves as a strut member of the truss;

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a mold for concrete construction comprising a pluralityfo'f' trans verse"longitudinal sections, slanting edges for the abutting ends of the several sections, each of said sections comprising topand downwardly extending side members, each of said side members'being fitted at their lower end with an outwardly extending member, said last member serving to act as the bottom support for one-half of the c011 said means bein struction comprising two standardized end sections, an intermediate adjustable middle section, and a tension member interconnecting the ends of the two standardized end sections.

5. In a device of the character described, a mold for concrete constructions comprising in combination two standardized end sections, an intermediate adjustable middle section, a tension member interconnecting the ends of the two end sections, cleats associated with said end sections, and struts associated with said middle section, said cleats and struts cooperating with said tension member to support the mold.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a mold for concrete construction comprising standardized end sections, an intermediate middle section, and means cooperating with said sections and secured to said end sections, said means serving to support the said molds and the poured floor and to force the abutting ends of the several sections of the mold into close contact.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination, a mold for concrete construction comprising standardized end sections,ian intermediate middlesection, means associated with said end sections adapted to force the abutting ends of the several sections into close contact, the abutting edges of said adjoining sections being'tapered, whereby said sections can be readily disassembled without injury to said sections.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, a mold for concrete construction comprising a plurality of transverse longitudinal sections, tapered edges for the abutting ends of the several sections whereby said sections can be readily as sembled and disassembled without injury to said sections.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination, a ,mold for concrete con struction comprising a plurality of trans verse longitudinalsections, tapered edges for the abutting ends of the several sections whereby said sections can be readily assembled and disassembled without injury to said sections, and means for retaining the ends of the several sections in close contact,

g secured to and supported from said sections. 10,. Ina device of the character described, in combination, a mold for concrete construction comprising a plurality of transverse longitudinal sections, tapered edges for the abutting ends of the several sections whereby said sections can readily be assembled and disassembled without injury to saldsections, means for retaining the ends of the several sections in close contact, said means being secured to and supported from said sections, and a metallic flushing secured to the ends of said sections to prevent injury to the abutting edges thereof. e 11. In a device of the character described, a mold for concrete construction comprising standardized end sections, a middle section, means secured to the ends of each of said end sections adapted to properly position and guide the two end sections and the middle section into aligned position, and means suspended from said end sections adapted to force and retain the abutting ends of the sections in such aligned position. Y

12. A mold for a concrete floor comprising a plurality of built up molds, each built up mold comprising a plurality of transverse longitudinal sections and a tension member directly interconnecting the ends of said built up sections.

13. A mold for a concrete floor comprising a plurality of built up molds, each built up mold comprising a plurality of standardizedlongitudinal sections, and means suspended from each built up mold adapted to force the abutting ends of the several sections of said built up mold into close contact.

14. A mold for a concrete floor construction comprising a plurality of builtv up molds, each built up mold comprising two standardized end sections and an intermediate middle section, means associated with and suspended from each built up mold adapted to force the abutting ends of the several sections of said molds into close contact,,said means serving as a tension member to support the molds and the concrete floor construction and utilizing the weight of the said molds and concrete construction for the useful purpose of forcing the abutting ends of theseveral sections of the built up'mold into close contact.

15. r A mold for concrete floors comprising a plurality of molds constituting a falsework, the ends of said molds being supported on the column and girder molds, the middle portion of said falsework being further supported by means of truss members and means provided at and connected to the extreme ends of said molds for receiving said truss members, said truss members serving to draw the molds into closer contact and thus strengthen the falsework.

16. In a device ofthe character described, in combination, a mold for concrete con-' struction comprising a plurality of transverse longitudinal sections, slanting edges for the abutting ends of the several sections, each of said sections comprising top and downwardly extending side members.

17. A-mold for concrete floors comprising a plurality of molds constituting a falsework, the ends of said molds being supported on the column and girder molds, truss members for further supporting the 18. A mold for concrete floors comprising t a plurality of molds constituting a frame- Work the ends of said molds being supported on the column and girder molds, truss members for further supporting the middle portion of said false Work, said truss members being directly attached to the 1 molds whereby said molds serve as a strut member of the truss.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

- JOHN A. TAGGART. 

